The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-06-11
THE DAILY NEWS
THE CZAK's PRISON.
The Great Gatehina Fortress In which
He hides in Terror.
London Telegraph.

'hu'h itieETuph
''Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?'' is the
reflection which springs to ones mind on
hearing the rumors as to attempts on the
Cars life in his rural retreat at Catch
ina. The country house occupied by the
Autocrat of all the Russias is nothing
more nor less than a fortress surrounded
by meats. with strong garrison, and
situated in The midst of an irnmense
camp, in which countless detach-
ments of soldiers, horse. foot, artillery
and even engineers, are quartered. Yet
even here the life of the sovereign Is ex-
posed to various perils, chief among
which is the notorious disaffectlon OF
portions of his vast army. The time was
when the Car could at least reckon on
the fidelity of his troops and ON the blind
and unreasoning devotion of the hber-
ated serfs. Now all is changed. 1t is
acknow lodged that the revolutionary
movement has spread with appalling
and significant rapidity, even to classes
which had always been regarded as
trustworthy. Meanwhile, however,
Alexander III. has no alter
native but to make the best of
the situation. Picked soldiers guard
him day and night at CATCHING, and the
strictest discipline prevails at the fortress
castle. A writer who IA short time ago
had the rare privilege of an introduction
to the presence of the czarina, gives "a
graphic account of his visit and of the
precautions taken to prevent any mis-
hap. Travelling from st. Petersburg to
CATCHING in company with General
Ignatieff and General Baumgarten, one
of the Emperor's aides-de-camp, he no
ticed all along the route small detach-
ments of engineers encamped in the open
air at short intervals from each other.
Cossacks, mounted on their small horses,
galloped about in every direction The
party were fetched at the station by one
of the imperial carriages, which started
off at full speed and, after crossing a
bridge, strongly guarded, arrived at
huge gateway, at which the writer and
misconceptions had to show their papers.
Thence they We're conducted to a wing
of the palace, where the same ceremo-
NAL was gone through, after which they
were taken through perfect labyrinth
of passages and staIrcases to rooms re
served for them. The writer was asked
if he would have luncheon or tea, and
was then left to himself until the hour
appointed for his audience. At noon
General Baumgarten came to fetch him.
On his way to the central building he
saw the steps crowded with sentries,
who i'm turn presented arms with such a
din that he shrewedly suspected that the
noise was intended to warn the comrades
further off of the arrival of stranger.
Next a large hall, in which 100 soldiers
of the guard We're on duty was traversed.
At the further end the visitor had again
to exhibit his papers. and after ascend
ing magnificent staircase and crossing
"a hall in which gigantic Moor in sup
erb custom, and two huge Tcherkesses
armed to the teeth with dirks and pistols
were stationed, he was introduced by a
man servant into a small but elegant
drawing room, whence he passed, under
the conduct of one of the gentlemen on
service, into the Empress reception
room. After half an hours converse
ton, in the course of which her Majesty
remarked that there was some very
impious men in Russia, the writer
Withdrew, but ere he took leave
of General Baumgarten the latter
referring to the frankness with which he
had spoken. told him that no Russian
would have dare1 to give advice to the
Czarina, jokingly adding: Take care!
you may be sent to Siberia" What can
be more characteristic than the rap
prochment of the aide-de-camp's grim
Jest about Siberia and the precautions
taken by the sovereign to avert all dan
ger from himself and his family.